Education

Eating is arguably the most important component of health, particularly for children. What we eat, how often we eat, and even where we eat can have lifelong effects on more than just the physical development of kids. It can affect how they operate throughout their lives in other areas as well.

The meal habits of children has been a point of controversy for some time. First Lady Michelle Obama has made an effort to slow childhood obesity, a problem that has been growing for decades. It hasn’t been without push back; her plan has been met with animosity from children and contempt from parents who feel that the forced lunch mandates are making school lunch less enjoyable and making kids avoid eating them altogether.

Getting a business degree used to be a prerequisite to be able to be successful and achieve executive status at major companies in the United States. That changed for a time when those who had other types of degrees (or no degrees at all) were finding success, but many companies quickly shifted back to the old mentality after not seeing the type of success they’d hoped for from people without the appropriate degrees. This trend is continuing today.

When asked about dangerous animals, many people might say snakes, spiders, or other poisonous creatures. Others might point to ferocious animals like sharks, bears, or tigers. The savvy people might say that humans are the most dangerous.

They would all be wrong.

The little blood-sucking mosquito is the most dangerous creature on earth, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people every year. Compare that to 10 deaths attributed to wolves or sharks or a hundred deaths attributed to lions and elephants and the little flying pests seem to be incredibly dangerous.

If you ever visit Singapore, you may want to stop off at the Jurong Bird Park. It’s the world’s largest when it comes to the total number of exotic birds with over 5000. Of the 400 species on display, here are 10 of the most unique and amazing birds around.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think my 7-year-old knows more about the various gadgets that fill our lives than I do. This infographic takes a look at how children are really on top of the whole gadget thing that’s engulfing us.

There are times when in infographic depicts mountains of data in visually stunning fashion. There are others when a massive amount of effort is put into perfecting a visualization that portrays a message.

Then, there are times when a graphic simply states the truth and offers advice. These are the ones you’ll see printed out and hanging in the offices of executives around the world. This graphic by the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness is one of those types, offering a quick hit of 8 things that leaders need to know. Click to enlarge.

How much money are the first programmers for Google worth? What about Facebook? Tech startups often use this to lure in top talent as the dream of building something that eventually gets huge is something that can be a professional accomplishment and a huge payday; in both cases, the effects can last a lifetime.

It’s not just a matter of going to Craigslist in San Francisco and looking for a job. There’s a decision-making process involved to make sure that you’re talents are best served and your interests are in the right place. This guide by Monetate breaks it down nicely for us.

Not all majors are created equal. We all know this when going into college and we often make decisions based upon a combination of our interests and our professional goals. This breakdown by Mindflash shows which college majors have the best chance of yielding a job as well as those that pose challenges.

The United States is far behind much of the rest of the world when it comes to recognizing and rewarding the advantages of paid leave for new parents. Some countries like Sweden offer parents rights protected by law to spend the essential time necessary to raise a child in the early years of development, while the US has no federal laws. Only a handful of states offer up to 6 weeks at a greatly reduced wage.

In Sweden, mothers and fathers share 480 days of paid leave that can be spread out from 60 days prior to expected delivery up until the child turns 8. They are paid at 80% of benefits-based income (compared to 55% for 6 weeks in California). The idea is that parenting should be a shared responsibility between both parents, particularly during the early development stages of childhood.

Here’s a breakdown of how other countries treat their parent employees. Click to enlarge.